Fast Fashion's Hidden Cost: UK Brands' Discarded Clothes Overwhelm Ghana's Wetlands

ACCRA, GHANA – A recent investigation by Greenpeace Africa has unveiled the alarming scale of textile waste from major European fast fashion brands accumulating in Ghana's protected wetlands and coastal areas. The report indicates that approximately 1.5 million tonnes of used textiles, including garments from prominent UK retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Zara, H&M, and Primark, are being discarded in the West African nation annually. The findings reveal vast dumpsites overflowing with synthetic clothing, severely impacting internationally recognized wetlands that serve as crucial habitats for three species of endangered sea turtles. Local residents and environmental activists describe the wetlands as being "clogged" with this waste, a direct consequence of the immense volume of new textile imports. Further compounding the environmental crisis, the investigation uncovered that some beach resort managers resort to burning large piles of discarded clothes on a weekly basis, contributing to air pollution and further degradation of the fragile ecosystems. This practice underscores the overwhelming challenge faced by local communities in managing the influx of foreign textile waste. Greenpeace Africa is urging African governments to demand that European nations assume responsibility for their textile waste. The organization emphasizes the need for producers to be held accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, rather than burdening frontline communities with the environmental and social costs of disposal.